Sunday, November 14, 2004

 

Tractors on the Shelf

It all stated last Christmas. My son Ron gave me a book on the history of John Deere tractors. The author got me thinking. I cannot afford to buy and restore some old tractor, like a lot of farmers do in the off season. Besides, where would I put it. I don’t think Wascally Wabbit would want it on the front lawn. But then I began to consider the many pictures of “Ertl” scale-model tractors in the book. Why don’t I collect some of them? So Dis Elmer Fudd started on another hunting adventure. It took me through many tractor dealerships, hardware stores, web sites, and especially e-Bay. Many of the models I want are out of production and are collectors items, only available on e-Bay.

Now I’m coming out of the closet and admitting, yes, I still play with toy tractors. But I don’t get down on the floor and make funny noises with them. Well, not unless my grandson is with me!

Before My Time

On the shelf above me are some unique machines. There is a set of three 1:24 scale dice-cast aluminum toys. They are a Case 80 steam tractor, a Case threshing machine, and a tank wagon. My Dad worked on such an outfit in the early 1930’s in southern Alberta. He hauled water to the engine, some 20 horses, and the cook. He used a horse drawn tank wagon and he filled it using a hand-operated pump. I was on a Case 80 in Camrose this past summer. The engineer was quite informative as a quizzed him about how the machine worked.

Beside these toys is a 1:16 scale John Deere “D.” It is the only other steel wheeled machine in my collection. Dad had one on the home farm before I was old enough to remember it. He refered to it as "Steely John." Apparently he did not use is a lot, except to break up sod with a three-bottom plow.


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